Memorial Day weekend unofficially kicks of summer pretty much everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere (or at least the continental U.S.), and with it comes the onslaught of “bikini body” messaging. Television, magazines, and social media all offer solutions for how to get your body summer ready in just weeks, or even days! First of all, most of these solutions are temporary quick fixes that may get you results at first–until you get tired of extreme diet and exercise commitments and quit….but setting that aside for a moment, I want to dive into the real issues here.
(1) Every body is a bikini body.

(2) It is possible to love your body and still have aesthetic goals.

I am all about body positivity and loving yourself where you are at. I have personally worked hard to practice what I preach, and I actually do make myself say three nice things about myself for every negative thing I think/say. Since picking up strength training two years ago, I have learned to love my body for what it can do, not for what it looks like. I have also come to love the way that my body looks, even the parts that I think are less than ideal (pro tip: start calling your cellulite “fancy fat” a la Jessie Kneeland–it will make you feel better, I swear).

That said, I still like to work on my body for aesthetic purposes, and I believe that I–and everyone else–can do this while still being body positive. As Neghar Fonooni has argued, “what matters most isn’t whether or not you want to change your body, it’s why.”

If you want to change your body for you, because you think it would be fun to have more sculpted arms to better show off the new tattoo on your delt or because you personally like the way you look with pink hair, then right on. If you want to change your body because you think it will make you more worthy in the eyes of your partner, your family, your coworkers, or society in general, then take a step back.

As a trainer and coach, I am committed to helping clients reach their aesthetic goals that they set for themselves. I will never market my programs as designed to get you a summer body or promise that you will lose those stubborn last five pounds that you believe are keeping you from complete and total bliss. I will not prey on your insecurities. I will not shame you if you don’t lose weight quickly. I will not make you believe that you are less if you are not fighting to constantly lose weight and meet an ever-changing physical ideal.

I will help you realistically and safely meet your own self-imposed goals through sustainable practices. I’ll help you remember that you are worthy of self-love and you are worth your own time. Self-care is critical, and working toward aesthetic goals can be a part of self-care if it comes from the right place. Taking the time to make yourself feel awesome? That, in the words of Erin Brown, is #queenshit.

Interested in working with me? Email me for info on my upcoming 6-week Best You Bootcamp and VIP one-on-one coaching opportunities.